Clubs revving up for special birthday celebrations
Notable milestones for Aston Martin, Caterham, Ford, Lotus, MG and Porsche
Displays and commemorative track parades for club members
Book now for best-priced Car Club Display Packages
Bank holiday showcase also marks Silverstone’s 75th anniversary
Incredible displays of much-loved classic cars will once again be on pole position at this summer’s Silverstone Festival (previously known as the Silverstone Classic) to be staged at the home of British motorsport over the end-of-summer Bank Holiday weekend (25-27 August).
Car club displays have always been right at the heart of the award-winning event – many of these celebrating significant birthdays in marque and model histories with record-breaking gatherings and unforgettable commemorative track parades on the famous Grand Prix circuit across the weekend.
This year’s Festival is already set to be a very memorable one with plans to celebrate Silverstone’s own 75thanniversary with special races and track demos for Grand Prix and Formula One cars from throughout past golden eras.
But away from the action-packed racecard, the much-loved brands being honoured in August embrace the anniversaries of Aston Martin, Caterham, Corvette, Ford, Lamborghini, Lotus, MG, Porsche and Triumph. Owners of these classics are all invited to join the Festival party!
The Aston Martin Owners Club is expecting a massive turnout to mark several important milestones including the 110th birthday of the world famous company as well as the 75th birthday of the DB1, 65th birthday of the DB4, 60th birthday of the DB5 and the 20th birthday of the DB9. The revered DB5, of course, is the icon that launched the British marque’s legendary association with James Bond when a gadget-loaded DB5 made a sensational debut in the 1964 film Goldfinger.
Two other notable clubs also celebrating 60th birthdays at the Festival are the Lotus Cortina Register and the Lamborghini Club UK – 1963 not only saw the introduction of Ford’s souped-up family saloon as raced by many legends including the great Jim Clark, but it was also the founding year of the iconic Italian supercar.
Visitors are promised an eye-catching array from Lamborghini’s star-studded heritage featuring many of the marque’s stunning pin-ups such as the Miura, Countach, Diablo as well as more modern deities such as the Aventador and Huracan.
MG can boast an even longer lifetime with the first car to wear the famous octane badge dating back to 1923. With a centenary to celebrate, clubs including the MG Car Club, MG Owners’ Club and Midget and Sprite Club will be out in force at Silverstone Festival.
This year also marks the 100th birthday of another of the truly great British sportscar companies, Triumph. The Triumph Sports Six Club and Triumph TR Register will also be taking centre stage with an impressive display and on-track parade at Silverstone.
Founded in 1903, Ford turns 120 years old in June and honouring that watershed moment in motoring history, a number of RS Owners Clubs and the Mustang Owners Club of Great Britain will come together to add to this summer’s Festival party at Silverstone.
The Caterham and Lotus Seven Club also has plenty to celebrate with the lightweight sportscar based on Colin Chapman’s original, adrenalin-fuelled Lotus 7, the exhilarating Caterham 7 turning 50.
For those preferring American muscle to more subtle British dexterity, the Classic Corvette Club UK will be mobilizing en masse to mark 70 years of Chevrolet’s heavyweight sportscar contender, now enjoying its eighth generation.
With such a hallowed history in motorsport, large numbers of road and track Porsches are always a popular sight at the Festival and this year they, too, will have something special to celebrate as – like Silverstone – the much-admired German icon turns 75 in 2023.
A number of dedicated groups will be lauding this major landmark, including Porsche Club GB, The Independent Porsche Enthusiasts Club, the Porsche 924 Owners Club and the 966 Carrera Owners Club (the 996 is also turning 25).
Registration for car clubs – whether or not celebrating anniversaries – is totally free and members of registered clubs can take advantage of fantastic value Car Club Display Packages. These not only offer a pair of discounted tickets but also prized display parking inside the Silverstone circuit, plus benefits and discounts are available to all car club bookers with event partners Adrian Flux, Motul and Car Gods.
“These fantastic displays of privately-owned classics have always been right at the heart of our wonderful event, and we’re delighted to be celebrating so many major motoring milestones alongside Silverstone’s own 75th anniversary this summer,” enthused Nick Wigley, Silverstone Festival Event Director. “The move to the bank holiday opens up a fun-packed weekend for club members to bring their car and family with a unique opportunity to be an integral part of the overall show.”
As in previous years, all tickets give access to both race paddocks, live music from chart-topping performers – now on all three evenings – plus a packed schedule of off-track entertainment for the whole family.
Click here for full ticket details
2023 SILVERSTONE FESTIVAL: CAR CLUB ANNIVERSARY PARADES
120th Anniversary of Ford
120th Anniversary of Vauxhall
110th Anniversary of Aston Martin and 75th of DB1, 65th of DB4, 60th of DB5 and 20th of DB9
100th Anniversary of MG
100th Anniversary of Triumph and 70th of TR model
75th Anniversary of Jaguar XK120
75th Anniversary of Lotus Cars
75th Anniversary of Porsche and 25th of 996
70th Anniversary of Chevrolet Corvette
60th Anniversary of Lamborghini
60th Anniversary of Lotus Cortina
50th Anniversary of Austin Allegro
50th Anniversary of Caterham 7
50th Anniversary of Maserati Quattroporte
40th Anniversary of Midget & Sprite Club
